Students & Faculty

Filippo Mezzanotti

“The program’s atmosphere is incredibly challenging and the level of intellectual interactions with the other students both inside and outside the classroom is by far the most rewarding aspect.”

I was born in Italy and grew up in a small town called Cesena. I moved to Milan after high school to attend Bocconi University, where I earned my Bachelor and Master of Science in Economics and Social Sciences.

During my undergraduate studies in Bocconi, I developed a solid interest in economics. I was particularly intrigued by the incredible opportunities that econometric techniques provide for understanding the reality around us. During my Master’s at Bocconi I worked on several research projects at the Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research (IGIER), a research center affiliated with the university. I graduated with a Master’s thesis in Political Economics, for which I was later awarded the Stringher Scholarship by Bank of Italy. After earning my masters, I joined the Finance department at Kellogg School of Management for one year.

My Research Interests

My research interests are broadly focused on corporate finance and political economics. Motivated by my interest in both of these fields, I am currently working on a project with a fellow student that will employ Italian data to understand how the institutional and political connections influence the ability of a firm to finance itself. On the one hand, this analysis wants to provide evidence on how self-interested politicians can leverage their political power to extract personal rents, by favoring the access to credit of politically connected firms. On the other hand, we aim to provide some policy recommendation on how to improve the organization of the banking sector.

The Business Economics Program

There were three elements that attracted me to the program: the rigor and the prestige of the program, the cultural richness of the Harvard community, and Harvard’s emphasis on leadership and excellence in research. Studying at Harvard places you in the best possible position to take advantage of what the intellectual community of Cambridge offers, such as taking classes at MIT, or attending a seminar at the NBER.

The HBS Experience

The thing that has impressed me most here is the quality of my fellow classmates. Each student in the program has a very unique background in terms of previous academic and work experience, as well as different research interests, but we are all involved in creating a positive, responsive, and active environment.

The program’s atmosphere is incredibly challenging and the level of intellectual interactions with the other students both inside and outside the classroom is by far the most rewarding aspect.

In addition, all the members of the faculty do their best to make you feel part of the Harvard community. The quality of teaching is very high, classes are engaging, and professors are always happy to advise students on research and coursework.

After HBS

The path to the end of the Ph.D. is still very long, but my intention is to pursue a career in research.

Area of StudyBusiness Economics

Home RegionCesena, Italy

EducationBachelor and M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences, Bocconi University